built. McElhone told a public meeting that electing her would not give the constituency "an MP aiming for the top of the political tree", but instead a "Glasgow housewife determined to look out for her own folk". She was personally friendly with her Scottish National Party rival Peter Mallan, but a protest was entered on her behalf when he claimed that voters were disgruntled at her selection and that she was in a "fortunate position" compared with other widows. Reporters following the by-election noted that McElhone did not seek a sympathy vote. Although supported by Tony Benn, for whom her husband had worked as his Parliamentary Private Secretary, McElhone disclaimed the label of 'Bennite'. She supported separate Roman Catholic schools, and opposed abortion while supporting nationalisation and unilateral nuclear disarmament. Parliamentary career On 2 December 1982 Queen's Park voters went to the polls; McElhone was elected with a majority of 5,694 votes over the Scottish National Party. She said that her victory was inevitably tinged with sadness, but was a triumphant night for the Labour Party. She made her maiden speech on 17 January 1983, in a debate on housing in Scotland, noting that her husband had chosen the same subject for his maiden speech. She criticised the past housing schemes in her constituency including the Hutchesontown C project by Sir Basil Spence, for which he had won awards but which had become uninhabitable owing to damp. At Prime Minister's Questions on 17 February 1983, she accused Margaret Thatcher of misleading women with a confidence trick, and called for a June general election. Boundary changes Before McElhone was selected, it was known that boundary changes, due to take place at the following general election, would abolish the separate Glasgow Queen's Park constituency and merge the majority of it with parts of five others in the new Glasgow Central constituency. McElhone was determined to fight her corner, against Bob McTaggart (sitting MP for the old Glasgow Central constituency) and Jimmy Wray who insisted on his right to stand in the selection contest despite Labour Party rules rendering him ineligible. Wray was eventually ruled out, and McTaggart was regarded as the favourite as he benefited from the votes of Wray's supporters. McTaggart won, and McElhone did not stand at the 1983 general election. Subsequent career After her brief term in Parliament, McElhone fought for election to Strathclyde Regional Council in Bellahouston-Mosspark division